You never want to be the last speaker at the end of a long conference day. Many people in the 4:30 slot even mention this strategic disadvantage, “I know I am standing between you and happy hour, so I’ll make it quick.”
The best end-of-the-day speaker I have ever heard was Dr. Victor Montori at ENGAGE 2013. Everyone was drooping when he took the stage, but 29 minutes later he had energized the whole room.
He turned the compliance problem around. The question is not, “Why don’t patients follow doctors’ instructions?” it is “Why do we make it so hard for patients to follow doctors’ instructions?’
The problem is not that a person can’t read a pill bottle. It’s having a car to get to the pharmacy or paying for the meds once you get there.
The problem is not that a person doesn’t know she needs to exercise. It’s that she can’t get respite care from her full-time care giving duties to actually take a walk.
The problem is not that a person with diabetes doesn’t know that she needs to measure her blood sugar every day. The problem is that she has a needle phobia. Skip to the 12:33 point in the video to see him illustrate the treatment burden carried by patients with complicated health problems.
“The problem with John is that this healthcare program does not fit his complex life,” Montori concluded.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
Many startups in this month’s report are solving those real but harder to see problems with compliance or even getting to the doctor in the first place. These entrepreneurs and researchers are making exams and shots and therapy that fit the complicated lives of patients.
Less pain
Bioneedle Tech Group – Microneedles for vaccines
Buzzy for Shots – Makes injections less painful
St. Renatus – Needle-free dental anesthetic
Faster diagnosis
Cernostics – Faster, more accurate esophageal cancer test
EveMedical – Cervical cancer screenings at home
Pixie Scientific – Diapers that can diagnose UTIs
Sense4Baby – Remote monitoring for pregnant women
Vigilant Biosciences – Rinse-and-spit test kit for oral cancer
Easier treatment plans
MultiNeurons – Sensor & iPad app to monitor patients with brain disorders
Neos Therapeutics – Controlled-release ADHD medicines in liquid and dissolving tablet form
Tappy Fit – Personalized fitness program
Timocco – At-home occupational therapy for children
It’s no coincidence that many of these advances are centered on women and children. Women make 80 percent of the healthcare decisions in a family, but they also have less money to pay for care and less time to go to visits or follow treatment plans. If we make it easier for people – moms, daughters, granddaughters, nieces in particular – to take care of themselves, we will increase access to care, compliance and quality of life for everyone. Costs might even go down, too.
Download the full report and read about all the companies working to make healthcare better.
